TRANSPORT

Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998

Tony McNulty: We have issued today a consultation letter about the definition of a private hire vehicle in London in the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 (the 1998 Act). During our first term, we were pleased to support this important safety measure to regulate London's minicabs and bring them into line with the rest of the country. However, we understand that a loophole in the definition is allowing unscrupulous operators to use unlicensed drivers and vehicles within the law by claiming that the work undertaken is dedicated to groups or specific organisations rather than to the public at large. I am clear that this was not the intention of Parliament when the Bill was passed and that such hirings should be within the framework of the 1998 Act. Therefore, the purpose of the consultation letter is to seek views on a proposal to amend the definition to exclude the phrase "to the public" at the first suitable opportunity and thereby close the loophole. The consultation letter, which is available on the Department for Transport website, is being sent to key private hire and taxi stakeholders, but anyone with an interest is invited to comment. Copies of the consultation letter have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Harriet Harman: The annual report of the Crown Prosecution Service has today been published and laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Shipman Inquiry

Caroline Flint: The Fourth Report of the Shipman inquiry, "The regulation of, controlled drugs in the community", Cm 6249, was published today, and copies have been placed in the Library. This follows the publication of reports on the extent of Harold Shipman's activities, on the 1998 investigation by the Greater Manchester police, and on death certification and the coroner system. The inquiry's final report on monitoring of medical practitioners, disciplinary systems, whistleblowing and complaints is now expected to be published later this year.
	The Government would again like to thank Dame Janet Smith for the meticulous care which has gone into the preparation of this report; for the sensitivity with which she has listened to the views of health care and law enforcement professionals at the inquiry's seminars; and for the skilful balance she has struck between the need to safeguard the legitimate use of controlled drugs for patient care and the need to protect the public from their misuse. We would also like to reiterate our sympathy to the relatives and friends of Shipman's victims.
	Dame Janet's report makes three major groups of recommendations. First, she advocates setting up an integrated and multidisciplinary inspectorate to monitor and audit the prescription, storage, distribution and disposal of controlled drugs. Secondly, the report recommends a number of restrictions on the prescribing of controlled drugs which would discourage or prevent health professionals from prescribing in circumstances in which it could be considered to be unsafe or unwise for them to do so—prescribing for their own use or for that of their immediate families, prescribing outside the requirements of their normal clinical practice, prescribing by professionals convicted of controlled drugs offences. Thirdly, the report proposes a series of measures to tighten the handling and safekeeping of controlled drugs along each part of the supply chain from the supplier to the patient's home, and to provide a complete "audit trail" to account for the movement of controlled drugs at each stage, both in the national health service and in the private sector.
	These are very significant recommendations with fundamental implications for the use of controlled drugs in the NHS and elsewhere. We will need to study them carefully and in consultation with existing inspectorates, patients, NHS and police organisations and the healthcare professions. In particular, we will be seeking the views of the advisory council on the misuse of drugs (ACMD), which has already begun some valuable preparatory work on possible improvements to the present system and on the legislative changes that would be required. And we will need to wait for the recommendations in the inquiry's fifth report, on the general monitoring of general medical practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals, before we can reach final decisions on those issues on which there is a potential overlap between the two reports.
	In the meanwhile there is much valuable and important work already in hand. In addition to the work of the ACMD, the national prescribing centre has published "preview" guidance for NHS organisations and professionals summarising the legal requirements and best professional practice in the handling of controlled drugs. This work will be updated to take account of the inquiry's recommendations and issued as soon as possible. Finally, the NHS national programme for information technology will make a valuable contribution towards some of the additional safeguards proposed in the report, and we will need to consider carefully what can be delivered within the timescales of the programme.
	In welcoming the inquiry's second and third reports, my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health emphasised the need to learn lessons from the mistakes of the past. Dame Janet's report acknowledges that no system for the regulation of controlled drugs can offer complete security against abuse from minds as devious as Shipman's, while allowing for their legitimate use by health professionals to ease suffering. But her report also makes it clear that much more could be done to deter and detect improper use. We accept this conclusion. In acting on her report we are determined to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to provide the robust safeguards which are needed and which the public can rightly expect.

Prison Service and National Probation Service

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service and the probation service have today published their annual reports, reporting their performance in 2003–04. Copies have been placed in the Library. The Prison Service report includes the service's accounts for 2003–04. The financial statement for the national probation service will be published in early 2005.
	Because contracted prisons are now managed by the office for contracted prisons rather than the Prison Service details of their performance are not included in the service's annual report. The tables below therefore report on the performance of all prisons in England and Wales (comprising those managed by the Prison Service and those managed by the office for contracted prisons), and the performance of the contracted estate
	A full breakdown of the performance of both public and contracted prison establishments in relation to the applicable key performance indicators (KPIs) will be provided at a later date.
	
		Performance by public and contracted prisons inEngland and Wales in 2003–04
		
			 KPI Annual Target Outturn 
		
		
			 Category A Escapes 0 0 
			 Total Escapes from Prisons and Prison Escorts <0.05% 0.022% 
			 Escapes from Contracted Escorts 1:20,000 1:39,377 
			 Employment, Training and Education (ETE) 31,500 35,530 
			 Education Awards Entry 7,749 13,500 
			 Level 1 14,462 18,911 
			 Level 2 14,420 14,233 
			 Key Work Skills 54,880 109,237 
			 Offender Behaviour Programmes(Post IQR) 8,900 9,638 
			 Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (Post IQR) 1,240 1,091 
			 Timely Arrival at Court 81% 82% 
			 Mandatory Drugs Tests <10% 12.5% 
			 Self-inflicted Deaths <112.8per 100,000 93(= 126.2) 
			 Purposeful Activity 24 23.4 
			 Serious Assault 1.2% 1.56%(1,153) 
		
	
	
		Performance by contracted prisons in England and Walesin 2003–04
		
			 KPI Annual Target Outturn 
		
		
			 Category A Escapes 0 0 
			 Total Escapes from Prisons and Prison Escorts <0.05% 0.01% 
			 Employment, Training and Education (ETE) 2,456 2,938 
			 Education Awards Entry 575 971 
			 Level 1 802 1,047 
			 Level 2 772 895 
			 Key Work Skills 2,208 5,654 
			 Offender Behaviour Programmes(Post IQR) 456 469 
			 Sex Offender Treatment Programmes (Post IQR) 46 45 
			 Mandatory Drugs Tests <10% 14.0% 
			 Self-inflicted Deaths <112.8per 100,000 29.7per 100,000 
			 Purposeful Activity 28 26.6 
			 Serious Assault 1.0% 1.78% 
		
	
	The contracted sector does not manage contracted escorts and so the Prison Service targets on escapes from contracted escorts and timely arrival at court do not apply to it. The Prison Service targets on staff sickness and ethnic minority staffing are not applicable to the contracted estate. A target was not set for doubling in the contracted estate in 2003–04 and comparable data is not available—a new target on overcrowded accommodation has been set for both public and contracted prisons in 2004–05.

Terrorism Act 2000

David Blunkett: Lord Carlile of Berriew QC prepared a report on the operation in 2002 and 2003 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which I laid before the House on 26 April 2004.
	I am grateful to Lord Carlile for his detailed report and I have considered his recommendations fully. Following consultation within my department and with other relevant departments and agencies I am pleased to place my response to Lord Carlile's recommendations in the House Library today.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Wilton Park

Chris Mullin: Wilton Park is an academically independent executive agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its annual report and accounts for 2003–04 were published today and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.
	Highlights of the last year include:
	More conferences organised than ever before—49, including for the first time two held outside Europe
	A record level of financial support from other organisations
	Highest ever ratings by participants of the value of conferences
	Wilton Park's performance against agreed targets for 2003–04 is shown below. The targets cover cost recovery, quality of conference programmes and standards of service, including for the current year.
	
		
			  2003–04 2003–04 2004–05 
			  Target Performance Target 
		
		
			 Total income £3,732,000 £3,635,000 £3,987,000 
			 Excellent rating for programmes 57% 57.9% 57% 
			 Excellent rating for administration 89% 86.5% 89%

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Private Rented Sector

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will publish for public consultation on 16 July a paper on licensing in the private rented sector concerning the implementation of selective licensing.
	This paper seeks to explain the Government's proposals for licensing in the private rented sector that will be set in place by the Housing Bill, currently before Parliament. In particular, the paper explains the Government's proposals for selective licensing and sets out proposals for the secondary instruments required to implement these measures.
	The powers in the Bill and proposed secondary legislation will give local authorities scope to license properties in those areas where the private rented sector is associated with problems of low demand and/or antisocial behaviour. Licensing will enable local authorities to:
	Ensure that landlords are fit and proper persons or employ agents who are.
	Ensure that the standards of tenancy relations' management and property management employed by a landlord or agent are adequate.
	Impose conditions on licenses to achieve improvements in management where necessary.
	Identify landlords and support them in participating in work to regenerate rundown areas or to tackle problems of antisocial behaviour.
	Step in and manage properties where landlords refuse to meet the required criteria.
	The paper invites interested parties to comment on how these powers should be implemented in relation to selective licensing through the necessary secondary legislation.
	This consultation is being taken forward alongside the progress of the Bill through Parliament, not only to enable authorities to make an early start to tackling problems of low demand and antisocial behaviour once the Bill receives Royal Assent, but also better to inform the consideration of the Bill in Parliament.
	Copies of the paper are being sent to a wide range of interested parties including local authorities, landlord and tenant organisations and others with an interest in this issue. The closing date for responses is 8 October 2004.
	Copies of the paper will also be made available in the Libraries of the House and will be available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at www.odpm.gov.uk

TREASURY

Thalidomide Trust

Dawn Primarolo: The Treasury is today laying a statutory instrument which provides that payments by the Thalidomide Trust to the people affected by the drug thalidomide will in future be exempt from income tax. This legislative change, on which the Government have consulted with the trust, will come into effect on 5 August 2004.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Draft Disability Discrimination Bill

Andrew Smith: I have today laid before Parliament the Government's response (Cm 6276) to the report by the House of Commons and House of Lords Joint Committee on the draft Disability Discrimination Bill, which was presented to Government on 27 May.
	The Government are grateful to the Joint Committee for producing such a thorough report and we welcome the Committee's recognition of the important extensions in the draft Bill to disabled people's rights and freedoms. These include: taking a power to end the exemption of transport vehicles from the scope of the DDA's access to goods and service provisions; introducing a new duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people; and extending the DDA's definition of disability to cover more people with HIV, cancer and multiple sclerosis.
	The Committee made 75 recommendations and we have accepted them wherever they are worthwhile and practicable given our ambitious timetable, and in the light of our priority to legislate on and implement the new rights quickly. A number of the Committee's recommendations are for the Disability Rights Commission, and we commend those to the commission. Others concern purely procedural or administrative matters, which we accept. The remainder would require amendment to the draft Bill.
	In respect of this latter category, we have accepted a number of important recommendations. These include:
	ensuring that there are sufficient powers in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which the draft Bill amends, so that the definition of disability can be amended to improve coverage, should this prove necessary in the light of future evidence;
	removing the requirement in the DDA's definition of disability that mental illnesses must be "clinically well recognised" before a person can qualify as disabled under the Act;
	amending the blue badge parking scheme to: (i) alter the wording of badges issued to groups caring for disabled people to "organisation" instead of "institution"; and (ii) provide legal recognition for blue badges issued by other member states of the European Union and European Conference of Ministers of Transport members and associate members;
	removing the additional defence of ignorance from the draft Bill's provisions on third party publishers of discriminatory advertisements; and
	ensuring that awarding (i.e. examination) bodies in respect of general qualifications (such as GCSE and the Scottish Standard Grade) will be covered under the DDA (as the awarding of vocational qualifications is already covered).
	We are also committed to look at the current wording of some aspects of the draft Bill to ensure that there is clarity and certainty for those who will have rights and duties under the Bill. We are also considering changing the short title of the Bill to reflect better its intent.
	Other changes to the DDA come into force in October 2004 (e.g. extending service providers' duty of reasonable adjustment to include physical features and implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations 2003, which significantly extend the rights of disabled people in employment). The changes in the draft Bill, combined with the October 2004 changes, will ensure that by the end of this Parliament we have in place comprehensive civil rights for disabled people.
	Our response to the Committee sets out an indicative timetable for implementation of the Bill following Royal Assent. This sees a number of the duties coming into force in December 2005 and others in December 2006.
	There are some legislative recommendations made by the Committee that we have decided to reject. For far too long disability rights did not exist in law at all, so this is a new and rapidly evolving field. So, in many respects the basic framework of rights legislation is still bedding down both in the understanding and practice of employers, businesses, public bodies, private clubs and individuals. We must ensure that in driving forward key DDA features, we avoid the risk of confusion and uncertainty which could damage the effective implementation of the rights that the legislation provides. The Act will continue to be monitored and reviewed by the Disability Rights Commission, and any successor body, and we look forward to any future proposals on how the legislation can be improved still further.

Pension Credit

Andrew Smith: I can now provide the latest monthly progress report on the take-up of pension credit, which became payable on 6 October 2003.
	There are now 2.55 million pensioner households (3.09 million individuals) being paid pension credit, an increase of 52,000 households (66,000 individuals) during June. As at 30 June, there are 1.89 million households (2.28 million individuals) now receiving more money as a result of the introduction of pension credit, gaining by an average £15.57 a week. The average pension credit award is £41.99 per week.
	There is plenty of time for pensioners to apply for pension credit. To ensure that people do not lose out, customers whose applications are successful in the period up to October 2004 will have their entitlement backdated to 6 October 2003 (or to the date of entitlement if this is later). The 2004 Budget statement confirmed that these arrangements will continue beyond October 2004. This means that anyone eligible applying after October 2004 will see their entitlement backdated by up to 12 months.
	I am placing in the Library a report showing progress so far, including regional breakdowns of the number of pension credit households and numbers of pension credit awards in parliamentary constituencies in Great Britain. Copies of the report are also available for hon. Members in the Vote Office.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Complaints, Redress and Tribunals

Christopher Leslie: My noble Friend Lord Filkin, the Under-Secretary of State has made the following written ministerial statement.
	I am placing today in the Library of the House copies of the White Paper "Transforming Public Services: Complaints, Redress and Tribunals".
	The Government are committed to improving access to administrative justice and justice in the workplace. Central and local government make millions of decisions each year about the rights and obligations of individuals and where things go wrong the public has the right to expect swift resolution. Similarly, employees are entitled to fair and decent standards in the workplace and some means of redress where these standards are breached. Tribunals deal with about a million cases a year. They are one means of redress, but not the only means.
	This White Paper sets out the Government's vision for an improved and seamless system of dispute resolution. Sir Andrew Leggatt, in his report "Tribunals for Users", identified how tribunals can offer a better service for users. We have already announced our intention to accept the central theme of that report and create within the Department for Constitutional Affairs a single tribunal service, bringing together most central Government tribunals.
	But this White Paper goes a step further. The basis for the new organisation will be the largest tribunal organisations administered by central Government, collectively responsible for more than 90 per cent. of tribunal cases. But the organisation we are creating will be more than just a federation of existing tribunals. This will be a new organisation and a new type of organisation. It will have a remit to innovate, looking at alternative methods of resolving disputes and stimulating improved decisionmaking so that the need for disputes does not arise. We intend that it will formally come into being in April 2006 but we are recruiting a chief executive now.
	This approach to proportionate dispute resolution is the first manifestation of the Department's new strategy for helping users of the justice system resolve issues without recourse to formal hearings.
	To help us deliver this new approach we also intend to create a more unified and cohesive corps of tribunal panel members better equipped to deliver the service users expect, while continuing to provide and enhance both their independence and their expertise. To provide the tribunal judiciary with leadership through this time of change and beyond into the new service we intend to create in statute the post of senior president of tribunals. The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales has asked Lord Justice Robert Carnwath to act as senior president designate in advance of legislation.
	We also believe that this new approach to administrative justice requires a new, more strategic organisation to oversee it so we plan to create an administrative justice council, based on the existing Council on Tribunals which currently supervises the work of tribunals in England, Scotland and Wales.